


Complications of Interspecies Relations

by AuroraCloud



Category: Wayfarers Series - Becky Chambers
Genre: Cultural Differences, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Pre-Canon, minor appearance by Jenks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-16
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-09-09 02:09:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8871562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuroraCloud/pseuds/AuroraCloud
Summary: It's complicated enough for a Human to find himself having an affair with an Aeluon. It's even more complicated when he isn't sure how to tell his crew about it, in particular his best friend.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [paperclipbitch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperclipbitch/gifts).



> For timeframe, assume this happens roughly in the first year of the Wayfarer crew being together, ie. way before the events of the book. I didn't find any exact info on how long Ashby and Pei have been together (if I just missed it, I'm sorry!) and therefore decided to assume it might have been around the same time. 
> 
> Many thanks to my betas: _profiterole_ on LJ graciously read this in the busy days before Christmas (not that I was editing almost up to the reveals or anything...) from the canon perspective, reassuring and cheerleading me and giving me helpful ideas to improve it. And Bookwyrm, also graciously also very close to Christmas, did the native English speaker beta for all the language/grammar/vocabulary stuff and helped me make it real English, as well as noticing a stupid astronomy/space error in the process and saving me from some embarrassment (I should have known better, but apparently not!). I'm very grateful for the help of both, and any remaining mistakes are mine and mine alone.

A blue-and-green planet was rotating slowly, filling most of the view from the Wayfarer. It was rather like the Earth in the old sims and vids, although Ashby knew this one was slightly bigger and had longer years. One large, round, rocky moon glowed on the right, while another, small and uneven, was about to disappear beyond the limb of the planet.

Ashby leaned back and relaxed in his office. All that remained was for Sissix to dock them, and that would be a breeze. Arathrax was a multispecies colony constantly welcoming spaceships to its multiple ports. It had no indigenous civilization of its own, but its water oceans and thick jungles rich in fascinating wildlife. It was not only a place for business, but also one for research and leisure. Others in the crew were talking excitedly about going trekking in the woodlands near the port, and Dr, Chef was brimming in anticipation of the new plants and herbs he could collect. Ashby had originally meant to join the trekking, but quite recently he had found other plans.  
A message had appeared on his scrib soon after they emerged from the tunnel. Pei was here, too, about to have three days of shore leave. She seemed delighted by the idea of spending at least one of them with him. 

Stars. They had only been able to meet a few times since that first time on Port Coriol, and it was still hard to believe her when she said she wanted to see him again. Not that he doubted her sincerity, only his ability to hold her attention. But now, if her message was to be believed, in just a handful of hours, he would see her. Touch her. 

He could occasionally glimpse the Aeluon ship, waiting for its turn to dock over some cloudy swirls. In comparison, his _Wayfarer_ certainly looked a clunky old thing pulled together from bits and pieces, which she was. He loved his ship, but seeing the Aeluon ship, he felt a treacherous desire for something sleeker and fancier. Silly, really. Pei might tease him about the _Wayfarer's_ patchiness, but she was never one to pick her lover based on the most handsome ship. If she was, he would hardly feel this way about her.

But the most stunning was that she seemed to feel the same way about him.

As they neared the docking station, he could not help checking his reflection many times over, fussing over whether he was presentable. He knew from years of friendship with Sissix that other species rarely saw what made a Human good-looking for another Human. So conversely, since all Humans were probably clumsy and hideous by Aeluon standards, most likely Pei wouldn't notice no matter how carefully he combed his hair or shaved. He'd still be a weird ungraceful hairy thing. Nevertheless, he wanted to feel he was making an effort.

Besides, it was taking his attention away from how nervous he was. 

Finally, he felt the ship stop, heard Lovey's friendly voice telling everyone they had docked, and would everybody please wait until further announcements. It didn't take long before Sissix appeared.

"Perfect docking, if I may say so myself," she said. "And weather looks pretty down there. How're you feeling?"

"Good." Ashby tried to smile normally. It probably never worked if you had to try it.

There was a problem. He hadn't told anyone about Pei. Not even Sissix. Usually, when he had something on his mind, he would talk about it with Sissix. She always had a sound perspective to offer, or a supportive shoulder to lean on (literally). Because of her Aandrisk mindset and upbringing, she often had a fresh point of view that hadn't even occurred to Ashby. Sometimes it made everything fall into place, sometimes it was as alien to him as their mating habits, yet prodded his own thoughts along. In any case, she was a friend he could always rely on.

But she didn't know about Pei, and that was getting difficult. Ashby wasn't used to keeping secrets from Sissix. He kept telling himself it was because Pei wanted them to be secretive about their relationship. But Sissix would never babble, he knew that.

"Kizzy has some parts she wants to get in the marketplace," Sissix went on. "But after that we should be ready to hit the woods."

Right. The hike. "That's great," he said distractedly. Then he cleared his throat. 

"Hey, Sis, I'm sorry but I actually can't make it with you."

"Why not? Anything wrong?" Sissix observed him carefully, and Ashby was sure his embarrassment showed. Or smelled, considering her acute senses.

"No, I'm fine. I just got a message from an old friend who'll be in town right now. Suggested a meeting."

"Oh, okay. I see. It's not that often you get on the same planet at the same time without planning it," she said. But he could see she was disappointed. "Guess I'll tell the others."

"Yeah, I'm really sorry. I only found out a while ago myself. But some other time, next stopover. Maybe we'll finally go coral-diving in Belax, like we always said?" He knew he was babbling. 

She patted his arm. "Look, it's fine. But we could wait up, if you like?"

"No, I wouldn't want to delay you. No idea how long it'll be. Might take a while to catch up, you know. I'll tell the others before we leave. I'm really sorry." Yes, definitely babbling. He'd better get along and do… anything. 

He really needed to tell her, he mused as he made his way to the kitchen to check up on Dr Chef. But the problem was that Ashby wasn't sure of his own thoughts and feelings, and he didn't feel ready for Sissix's refreshing Aandrisk point of view on coupling and relationships.

Aandrisks loved to couple, no question. But to them, it was just another enjoyable thing to share with anyone you liked and cared about. It didn't matter in the same way it did to Humans. It didn't mean… well, what Pei had started to mean to him.

That was the problem, Ashby supposed. This… thing with Pei. It mattered to him more than it should, and that scared him.

He could almost hear Sissix in his head, chortling good-naturedly. _"Humans. Only species I know who's constantly scared of their own feelings."_

Well. Surely there had to be others, he mused as he prepared for leaving the ship. Humans had survived this long, it had to be good for something.

***

Ashby couldn’t get enough of watching Pei. Right now, she was leaning on the bed in a graceful, shimmering arc. It wasn't only because of what constituted otherworldly beauty for Human eyes; also, it was still hard to believe that she was here. Interested in him, and putting herself so much at risk.

The colours on the spots on her cheeks changed, but Ashby could not remember for sure what state of mind it indicated. But her emotion no longer was peace and contentment. Was it worry? Confusion? Then her voice from the talkbox came through.

"We'll have to devise better codes," she said. "Now it was okay because there aren't many Aeluons in these parts, and I know my crew isn't around. But for the next time I'll have to think of something better."

 _Next time._ That answered the question if she still wanted to keep seeing him. 

She continued. "We could work out something with numbers."

"Numbers?" 

"Aeluons are very particular about numbers," she said. Yes, he had heard about that. 

"Well, not as much these days as we used to, but still, it's around. Lots of meanings for plenty of numbers. It'd be easy to use that."

"Hotel rooms?"

"Something like that. You get a room and tell me the number, I come and ask for the next one. There'd always be some kind of a meaning to the number, no matter which one." Her colours changed, and her large eyes were studying him. "You must find us awfully old-fashioned." The talk-box gave a good impression of a self-deprecating scoff.

"Who?"

"Us Aeluons. Holding onto the idea of being a superior species, keeping other inhabitants of the galaxy at arm's length." She paused, though the swirls on her cheeks did not. 

"We're not all like that. You know it?" She touched his arm and nuzzled up closer to him. 

"Of course I do," he said, unable to resist giving her a reassuring caress. She seemed to like it. "And it would hardly be appropriate for me to pass any judgement on your species. Without you, we surely wouldn't have survived. And we Humans have our own share of issues." Which was something of an understatement.

"True, that. Starting from… Oh, never mind, we'd be at it all night, and I can think of better ways to spend it." There was a twinkle in her eyes and a flush on her cheeks that made him feel hot inside. "But I like the way you Exodans try to understand and include everyone."

"Because that's exactly what most Humans didn't do for nearly all of our history. That's what got us to the point where we'd have died out without the Aeluon ship finding us."

"Well, you've learned from your mistakes." She rolled onto her back, which was a pity as it took her a little further away from him, but she looked lovely that way as well. "I sometimes wish my people were a bit less… full of ourselves, I suppose. It would make things simpler."

Ashby was quiet for a while. "Things like this?" He trailed his hand lightly on her body, and was rewarded by a pleased shiver.

"For example." She leaned closer, touched his arm, her fingers drawing intricate lines on the inside skin. "I like how this feels." Her delicate caresses left behind an afterglow. 

"So much for me to learn about you," Pei continued. "Sometimes, my people act like we're the best thing the Universe has created, but all the peoples are so fascinating."  
Ashby thought that Pei was the best thing the Universe had created. But he didn't know how to say that without sounding maudlin.

"And not just the peoples," he said instead. "I feel so privileged that when I go out there, I get to see remnants of ancient stars that exploded into supernovae, stellar nurseries, planets or moons shooting giant jets of water into spaces… And all the life. Think about this place, for example."

"Ooh, yes. I went boating on the oceans once," she said. "The wildlife in the oceans, the esketh, they have these carefully organized multicolour colonies that make artists swoon. They move in patterns that nobody has quite been able to figure out, though of course my people think it might be a communication system. Isn't it wonderful that there'll always be mysteries we haven't understood?"

"It is," Ashby said, watching the dance of the colours on her cheeks. 

"Though I can never decide if I'm glad I'm helping people fight to preserve what is good and beautiful, or if it's nonsensical that we spend any time fighting at all."

"There's a Grum in my crew." Ashby hadn't expected to say that.

"Really? I met one, once. On a mission in Selucha. She was… unhappy."

"No wonder, I suppose. The one in my crew – I knew him quite a while before I recruited him – he has learned to find peace and happiness. No, not only find. Create it, too, give it to others. He's a marvellous cook. And a doctor. A gardener, too."

"Wow, that sounds lovely. None of those would be the first things I'd associate with a Grum, but… It goes to show, doesn't it? We're all a lot more than what you'd assume based on our species."

"I think Grums had the capability for the most astonishing things," Ashby reflected. 

"When you just hear him speak, it's extraordinary. Like a forest of music walking towards you. The things he has told me about their language, their names, they're fascinating. But they let that all be destroyed by hatred and division." He paused. "Sounds like another species I know of. We just got more lucky."

"Sounds like quite a few species," she said. "Most sentients survive by sticking together against problems and enemies. It's easy for that to get out of control when they develop civilization." She stroked his chest with her palm. It felt amazing, so unlike a human touch, yet deep down raising the same kind of tremors within him. "Some species are luckier than others. If their lives depend very much on cooperation, and less on enemies, it's easier to get along as the whole species, and adapt to changes. Think of Aandrisks. And I think it helps when the communications aren't just verbal. There's… more room for nuances, instincts and feelings come out more easily."

"Like your colours?"

"Yeah. And the Aandrisks with their handspeak."

"We do say a lot with body language, too, you know," Ashby noted, and smiled meaningfully at her. "But it's different. Not so sophisticated. And there's only so much you can do with it consciously."

"I love learning things about you Humans. Before, I didn't realize how much you were capable of, even with all your oddities. Most of us don't know much about Humans. I feel privileged." She pressed her face to him. He nuzzled her skin, trailing his lips against the soft pearly scales. She breathed near him, quivering like a bow. Her hands crept up at the back of his head, stroking his hair. "Feels nice," she muttered. "I like it. Ooh, we're getting too deep now, aren't we, Ashby Santoso?" It was funny; even though her voice came from talkbox, he could swear he heard a special lilt in the way she said his name. It made him shudder pleasantly. Something hot and sweet welled up inside him. "We're here to enjoy ourselves, not have one of those endless discussions people do on the Linkings."

"I suppose it's still nice you don't just want me for my body."

Pei chuckled and caressed his face. "You're sweet, Ashby. Really, really sweet. What would I not want you for?"

His breath caught at her words. She sat up, her eyes glinted with a particular kind of light, and suddenly he found himself firmly pinned under her as she straddled him and watched him triumphantly. "Still, enough talking for now." She caressed his upper body slowly, thrillingly. "Don't you find?" As she lowered herself on him, he proceeded to find ways to assure her of his agreement. 

****

Once the _Wayfarer_ was back in the open space, Ashby stayed in his chamber. They were making their way towards the next tunnel, which was near the two sets of binary stars that humans had traditionally called Capella and that had together formed one of the brightest stars as seen from the northern hemisphere on Earth. He had watched them through the ship telescope a while ago – two giant stars blazed bright along the dimmer glow of the red dwarf stars. But now he just stared at the sea of countless other stars, nebulae, and clusters, stretching beyond.

He sighed, feeling a quiet and a profound sense of home. In the same way that planetborn people might feel peace at the sight of an ocean, a reef or forest, Ashby felt inner peace and a sense of rightness and home surrounded by this endless field of stars and dark space. Engines and life support systems hummed contentedly and told him: everything is right, just as it should be.

Somewhere out there was Pei. And it made the stars look different, somehow. Were they different to her, too?

*****

Before he was even near the Fishbowl, he could hear Kizzy and Sissix. They were shouting amiably over music that sounded like the aural equivalent of the stuff that Kizzy used for cleaning the pipes. Probably not Sissix's choice. But she made no complaints as she bent over drawings Kizzy was showing her. 

"See, if I reverse the cir ¬–" Kizzy continued for quite a bit, but the loud screaming of the singer drowned it out.

"What?"

"I reverse the circuit here, it would connect to the…" Kizzy shouted.

"The what?" Sissix asked as the rest of the sentence was drowned out again.

"Wouldn't it be easier to talk if you could hear each other?" Ashby bellowed. Sissix and Kizzy turned to look at him. Sissix grinned. The two women shared a glance.

"It wouldn't be as much fun!" Kizzy shouted back.

"You have a strange definition of fun," Ashby said, rolling his eyes.

The music abruptly stopped. Sissix smiled smugly. "You know that already, Ashby," she said. She flung herself at Ashby, her arms tightly around him. "Hey there, nice to see you."

"I wasn't far," Ashby said, muffled against her shoulder.

"So? It's always a good time to hug." She distanced herself a bit, but her other arm was still around him. "Come on, sit down, have a cup of mek. Kizzy and I can continue later."

"I'm making a thingy," Kizzy stated proudly.

"Oh. What kind of thingy, specifically?"

"The kind of thingy that gives Sissix her own heat bubble. Then she and Corbin can stop arguing about the temperature and our ears don't hurt as much."

"Oh. Does the thingy have a name?"

"I've decided to stop using names for thingies before I've finished them. You all don't remember the names anyway."

Ashby did know his way fairly well around tech, as any self-respecting captain should, but Kizzy's expertise in the field meant that he had no way of keeping track. Especially since she changed the names all the time. "Thingy is good."

"I'm not convinced the thingy will work," Sissix said, "but she's having fun building it."

"Please don't blow up anything," Ashby said to Kizzy. "Or set her feathers on fire."

Sissix lifted her hands protectively around her head, casting a worried glance at Kizzy.

"When did I ever blow anything up?" Kizzy looked affronted.

"Want the list?"

"Okay, it can't be avoided, otherwise you're not much of a tech. But when did I ever blow up anything vital? Well, loads of times at school, but everyone did, so –"

"So, how was your shore leave, Ashby?" Sissix asked.

"It was good," he said as offhandedly as possible.

"Where did you go? Didn't see you since we got off the ship."

"Just… places. Here and there."

He was pretty sure she was smirking. It was sometimes hard to tell on Aandrisk faces, but he'd had a long time to learn Sissix's expressions. "How was your old friend?"

"Good, good."

"Any chance you want to tell us who it is?"

"Oh, well, nobody you would know."

Kizzy got up and was suddenly in front of him. "So, who is it, Ashby?" Kizzy was bouncing on the balls of her feet, and poking him in the chest, too. A good thing he wasn't the kind of old-fashioned Captain who demanded respect. 

"What do you mean?"

Kizzy beamed at him. "Who is the lucky lady? Or the lucky gent?"

Ashby shot a pleading look towards Sissix, but she only grinned, clearly with no intention to help him out. "Kizzy, I don't know what you're talking about," he attempted.

"Aw, come on, you do! Sissix, tell him that he does!"

In truth, Ashby did have a suspicion, but they couldn't know, right? 

Sissix smirked. "Kizzy, you have to learn to communicate in ways that Humans understand."

Kizzy scowled at her. "I am Human."

"Exactly. If they don't stand a chance, how do you think other species will?"

Kizzy made a face. Then she turned to Ashby and poked him again. "Aww, come on, Ashby! You suddenly can't go trekking, you go out looking more dashing than I've ever seen you before – you're welcome – and when you get back you're… well, not that neatly combed anymore. I can guess what you've been up to!"

Ashby backed away from her poking, but could not think of any answer to her.

"And it's hardly the first time in the last several tendays you're all dreamy and starry-eyed without telling us why. If you haven't met someone, I'll eat my fixbots." She stopped to think. "If I remember where they are."

Ashby blinked a few times. "Am I that obvious?"

"Yes, you are, and so is the smell of your hormones," Sissix said.

"Oh. Could you possibly have not volunteered that information?"

"No chance." She gave him a wide-toothed smile.

"So, what's the big deal? Why aren't you telling us?" Kizzy sounded the faintest bit of plaintive. And Sissix stopped smirking and studied him.

"Look, it's not that simple…"

"Kizzy!" Jenks's voice came through the vox. "Come here right now and tell me what you've done to the power cables!" He didn't sound too pleased. 

Kizzy jumped guiltily. "Oops. I knew I forgot something. Be right back, boss." With a flurry of black hair she was off. Ashby shrugged and turned to Sissix.

"Is there a reason you're not telling?" Sissix asked.

"No, no," he said, flustered. 

She waited, then asked: "Then why not?"

"The thing is… it's a bit complicated."

She smiled. "It usually is with you Humans."

"This time it isn't my Human mess that is the problem. It's… Sissix, she's an Aeluon."

"Ooh." Sissix perked up visibly.

"An Aeluon who works as a cargo runner for the military," he added.

Sissix's expression shifted. "Oh. They can be a bit traditionalist, the military ones."

"Apparently. She doesn't mind me, obviously. But it would be a big risk for her career if they found out she's with a Human."

""Funny, isn't it? The way they're so strict about coupling with other species. Even though so many Aeluons don't really believe it. I once went to Shimmerquick on the dark side of Coriol. Over there they're not such traditionalists, so I tell you, no trouble getting invitations." Sissix leaned forward and clasped Ashby's shoulder. "There was this really gorgeous Aeluon lady, and her friend who was male at that point, though female at some other times. I can tell you, those two were creative about coupling. I could give you some tips. Of course it's a bit different for humans, but at one point she –"

Ashby raised his hands. "Sissix! Too much information, stop!" He could feel his cheeks burning.

Sissix stopped. Then she burst out laughing. "Humans. I really don't understand how you managed to overpopulate your planet until it died. Seems you'd have a hard time producing any offspring on your own."

Ashby huffed. "We manage it just fine. We're just careful who we talk about it with."

"Not even with your best friend?"

He smiled ruefully. "Believe it or not, mainly with the person we're doing it with. Kizzy's impertinent questions aside."

"If you shared more, I'm sure it would help."

"I'm fine, thank you."

"Are you, though?" She scrutinized him for a moment. "I just hope you won't get hurt."

"What do you mean?" 

"You Humans… From what I know, it all messes up your heads so, coupling and all that. I suppose it's all those hormones."

"What do you mean, mess up my head?" He knew it was just Sissix, but he couldn't help feeling annoyed.

"Well, it makes you feel so much, doesn't it? Not just pleasure and companionship, like we get, but also… all those other things."

"There's nothing wrong with those feelings."

"But they can hurt you. I don't want you to be hurt unnecessarily."

"You think she can't have any feelings for me?"

"How would I know? It's not like Aeluons talk much about what it's like for them to couple with other species. But the Aeluons are different from you. Not our kind of different. Different different."

"Well, that was clarifying." 

"What's wrong, Ashby? You're cross."

"I'm not," he said, and then realized he was coming across as a petulant child, because she was right, and he was denying it.

She seemed to wait for him to say more, but when he didn't, she asked: "Why didn't you tell me about her?"

He shrugged. "I wasn't ready to."

"But why not? I could help you, that's what friends are for."

Of course, yet something about that was tugging him the wrong way. "I needed to figure things out on my own first."

"What things?"

"I don't know."

"Then why not turn to your friends?" There was a tense, anticipatory edge to her voice, and it was bothering him, because he had been taught to always consider everyone else's desires, and right now he didn't even know what his own were.

And so he said: "Maybe it doesn't help me that you'll immediately boil it down to hormones and tell me what a silly mammal I am to bother about these things." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he could hear how harsh they were. Damn, this wasn't the way to go.

She frowned. "What do you Humans have against hormones? They're completely normal bodily functions."

"I never denied that. But you talk as if it's nothing but."

"That isn't true. It's you Humans who make it so complicated –"

"Well, I'm sorry, but I have nothing but my backward mammal brain and body to live in. That's all I've got, so you have to deal with it as well."

Sissix put her hands up. "All right, all right, I'm sorry! I didn't mean anything like that."

"It sounded like it." He knew he should have said something kinder, more conciliatory – Pei's words about Exodans always trying to understand everyone echoed in his head, and he knew Sissix meant no harm even if she could be blunt. 

"I'm sorry," she said, though she sounded more angry than sorry. "I just don't understand why you have to shut me out of your life suddenly."

He said nothing, because he couldn't think where to go from here. 

It was at that moment Kizzy returned. "All right, everything sorted out, Jenks has all the power he needs for –." She entered the room again, trailing words and hairclips. She stopped and stared. "What's going on?"

Neither of them spoke.

"Did he tell you, Sissix?" Kizzy asked, sounding uncertain. 

"Not mine to tell," Sissix replied huffily. 

"Ashby, what is it?" she asked. Loud and boisterous as Kizzy might be, she did have an acute sense of what was going on with people. She looked worried.

"Our Captain does not think I can understand it," Sissix said icily.

Kizzy's face fell. She looked at both of them.

"Sissix, look –" Ashby said but didn't know how to go on.

"Aw, come on, you two!" Kizzy said, running her hand through her hair and scattering some more hair clips. She looked like a fountain of puffy black hair. A worried fountain. "What is this? Out with it. You two are not allowed to fight over some little thing. You know you both adore each other."

Ashby sighed. He looked at Kizzy. "Basically, she's an Aeluon and I don't know how to cope with it."

"She?" Kizzy looked bemused. "Wait, you mean your… Stars! No wonder you're confused. They're so pretty!"

"That isn't the problem, actually," he said drily. 

"The problem is that your Captain has apparently decided I try to insult species when I simply try to help him."

"It didn't sound that helpful."

"I was trying to make you see another side of it."

"How about you try seeing my side of it?"

Kizzy stared at them. "Oh no." Then she turned and ran away.

Ashby and Sissix were left in uncomfortable silence. Sissix was twisting her tail around slowly. Her feathers drooped. 

"I think we scared her," Ashby muttered, turning away.

Sissix walked up to him and grabbed his forearms. "I don't know about you, but this wasn't what I had in mind when I started talking to you."

"Me neither," he said, but gruffly. 

"Well, that's comforting." She didn't sound sarcastic. "Mind telling me what's the problem?"

He rubbed his eyes. He knew he needed to listen to her, take her view into account just as much as his, and find an accommodating point of view that served everyone. That was what he had done all his life. But right now it seemed too much, when some part of him was so confused and... hurt. Over his best friend not understanding him. "How about you tell _me_ what the problem is?"

"I thought we were good friends, and now you hide things from me and don't want to hear my point of view anymore. What is it? You kept saying it wouldn't change anything in our friendship when I joined the crew."

"It didn't." Was that what it was about? He'd had to mediate between her and Corbin several times, and he thought she understood he had to treat all crew members equally, friend or not. Maybe he had not made that clear enough. "But sometimes I'm not able to share everything. I know it's different for you Aandrisks, but I'm not like you."

"I'm not expecting you to be an Aandrisk, I'm expecting… Oh, never mind." She whirled around and stamped up to the window.

He was about to remark that she seemed to be picking up on the Human habit of bottling up feelings rather than expressing them. But perhaps it was lucky that just then he heard a sound that was distinctly… well, distinctly a Grum waffling his way through the corridors, his many-toned humming occasionally interrupted by Kizzy's nervous chatter. Then they appeared in the doorway, Dr. Chef carrying a tray of muffins with his handfeet. Kizzy was carrying both the happy tea and the boring tea.

"Kizzy informs me that you two are in dire need of muffins and tea. Since I was just making muffins… But tell me, what is it?" He fixed a kindly stare at both of them, then came to set the tray down on the table between them. 

Kizzy came forth with the teapots. "Since there were no waffles, I thought muffins and tea were the next best solution."

"Um, thanks, I guess." Sissix took a wary step towards the muffins.

Ashby began to feel vaguely ridiculous.

As he watched the apprehensive looks on the faces of Dr Chef and Kizzy, it wasn't so vague anymore.

"Look, I think things got out of control," he said, spreading his arms. "So let's try to get them back on track before every single member of the crew is evaluating my personal life, okay?"

"I just want you two to be friends again," Kizzy said timidly.

"Oh, we are, I'm just mad at him," Sissix said. She fished out a muffin with her claws.

"Tea, too," Kizzy said, and poured her some.

"Why are you mad at him?" Dr Chef asked. Ashby felt compelled to sit down, pour himself a cup of boring tea, and take a muffin. He tasted it, and exclaimed in delighted surprise. 

"What did you put in this?" he asked once his mouth was no longer full. "It's… new. But delicious!"

Dr Chef's cheek puffs vibrated in satisfaction. "Is it? I used those dark red berries-that-aren't-berries which were growing by the riverside in Toxx. Someone hinted me that they taste really good with cinnamon, and I took the liberty of adding some Stark root as well, I thought it would go well together."

"It does."

"So, what is the dire occasion?"

Ashby and Sissix stayed quiet.

"They're fighting," Kizzy said. 

"Well, we can't have that," Dr Chef rumbled. "Why on earth are you two doing that?"

Ashby stumblingly made his way through the existence of Pei, the fact that he hadn't told anyone about it, and that he and Sissix had argued.

"I thought he trusted me, it's all," Sissix cut in, sullen. He glanced over, but she avoided his eyes. She looked hurt.

"I said already, it's all new and confusing to me, and there's plenty we also have to discuss about our ship, our missions," Ashby said. 

Dr. Chef studied him. "It's hardly the first time you've coupled with someone."

"No, but it's the first time with an Aeluon, and I'm worried she'll get into trouble because of me. Or doesn't want to see me anymore. And it's… well… she's more special than anyone before," he finished, thoroughly embarrassed. It felt strange talking about this in front of his crew. "I wasn't going to keep silent forever. I just haven't got it figured out yet."

"Well, Sissix," Dr. Chef said kindly, "does that answer you? I'm sure you know that humans are strongly affected by these things. It seems to me normal human male behavior. You're probably lucky he's telling you this much."

"Well, I don't want that to be lucky," Sissix said. She didn't sound angry, anymore. "That's exactly what I was afraid of. Ooh, she's special. She sparkles in a thousand colours and is practically invincible and has the smoothest-running ship ever, and now she's _special_."

"Are you jealous?" Kizzy blurted out.

Sissix glared. "Stars, I don't fancy him! But he's my friend. My best friend ever. And Humans never think friends are as important as people they're in _love_ with."

Ashby's brain stuttered. Finally he managed to say: "You're assuming a bit much there."

"Oh?"

"How about you ask me which one I think is more important. A friend I've had for years and a prized crew member I trust, or a woman I've only met a few months ago and who may or may not still want to see me later?"

Sissix gaped at him. "Oh."

Dr. Chef beamed and let out a contented hum. "I knew it."

Now that they had found the heart of the problem, it was easier for Ashby to find his conciliatory tone. He took her arms, knowing that she would be comforted by touch. "Of course, if Pei continues to care for me, she may become very important to me. But it doesn't mean I value my friends any less than before."

Dr. Chef was looking at them thoughtfully. "Sissix, I know it gets said that Humans don't value friends and other found family as much as you do. I bet Aandrisks often think so, and you may be remembering what you've heard before, even though you know Ashby. We both know it isn't necessarily true, and definitely not in his case. Humans are a social species, and friends are important to them. Ashby is the sort of man whose friends and crew are his family."

Sissix stared at him, then at Ashby. "So Ashby, you're saying…?"

"That you're as dear a friend to me as ever, and no woman I meet and fall for is ever going to change that. I'm really sorry I was upset, it's not fair to you, Sis– _oomph_!" Sissix launched herself at him and grabbed him into a fierce hug involving all her limbs and her tail, too. He managed to balance for a while, but then he just tumbled. Her tail fortunately softened the fall.

"Oh, I've been stupid! Why didn't you tell me I was being stupid? Ashby, you dear you! You'll forgive your silly friend, won't you?"

"Of course I will, Sis," he managed to say. "But uh… A little air would be nice."

"Oh, right." She removed her weight from atop him and helped him stand up, then pulled him into a somewhat more carefully measured hug. "I always forget you Humans aren't built to be pounced on."

"And you forgive me for not telling you?" he asked, returning the hug. "And whatever else upset you."

"Of course, of course. Oh, you were right to get annoyed, I was being a jerk, wasn't I? I know you're Human and your brains are different and you get all sorts of strange feelings, but I wouldn't have you any other way." She hugged him once more for good measure. "Oh, we need those muffins now. Poor Ashby has his head messed up by hormones and now he had an argument with his best friend, too! We'd better get him back to shape." 

"Right, ma'am," Kizzy said with a grin and offered them more.

Soon they were enjoying the muffins and the tea, amid laughter and chatter, and everyone else's questions about Pei and how Ashby had managed to get together with her that first time.

"Ooh, I bet it was the left-over excitement of both of your missions," Sissix said. "And of course your stunning human gorgeousness."

"I'm gorgeous?" Ashby blinked.

"Well, not to me, you don't even have feathers. But who knows what an Aeluon thinks. Your lot are probably very exotic to them." She grinned. "And of course, your dazzling intellect and your exquisite judgement must have shone through."

"Exquisite judgement that leads me to pick friends like you and a crew like this?"

"Exactly."

Dr. Chef gave a loud satisfied rumble.

At that moment Jenks wandered in. "Ooh, muffins! Why didn’t anyone tell me?" He immediately grabbed two of them.

"It was a bit of a spontaneous party," Kizzy said.

"But help yourself, they're for everyone. Though not more than two now," Dr. Chef said. 

"The rest are for dessert."

"What's the occasion for the spontaneous muffin party of four?"

"Oh, Ashby is banging an Aeluon, he didn't tell us so he and Sissix had an argument, and Dr. Chef and I had to sort it out with muffins and good sense."

"Thanks, Kizzy," Ashby said drily.

She beamed. "Any time! If you want, I can broadcast it over the vox so you don't have the same problem with anyone else anymore."

Alarmed that she might do it right away, he hurriedly said: "Thanks, but I think I'll do it myself. I'm sure Ohan and Corbin will appreciate it better if I…. uh, tell it myself." If they would pay any attention, that was. The idea of telling Ohan or Corbin about his sexual life was odd, to say the least. But they, too, were his crew and hence his family, so some kind of explanation might be in order.

"An Aeluon, huh?" Jenks asked with his mouth full of muffin. "Whoah."

"Whoah indeed," he said and smiled, shaking his head. "But I'd appreciate not getting a million questions about it, okay? I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it myself. And everyone, I can't stress this enough: don't say a word of it outside the crew, okay? I don't want her to get into trouble. Not a word, okay?" He looked at Kizzy and Jenks.

"No problem, boss," she said cheerfully, and he nodded. 

"Yeah, we won't."

"So, I take it everything is sorted out now?" Dr. Chef said. "I can go and start preparing the spice filling for the bugs?"

"Ooh, we're having bugs? Great!" Jenks beamed.

"Yeah, we're good," Sissix said, her hand stroking Ashby's fondly. 

He reflected that as strange as it was for a Human to have a friend touch him so much, it felt nice, too. Especially when a moment ago they'd been arguing.

"Say, after the bugs and the muffins and when we've rested a bit so our stomachs aren't full," he said to Sissix, "why don't we go floating outside for a bit? This region should be pretty nice to look at."

"Excellent idea." She grinned and put her arm around him. "I think we're going to see a spectacularly pretty nebula in two hours or so, if my calculations are correct."

"A deal, then."

"A deal."

When he returned to his office to review the route, he paused to look outside again. He belonged among the stars, had belonged all his life, but it felt even better with such friends and crew as his.


End file.
